


A fish out of water

by rarepairqueen



Series: A collection of requests [24]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, I slipped some of my own head canons in here too, M/M, Rakuzan are the three older brothers Akashi never wanted, Seirin being Seirin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 09:23:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7502937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairqueen/pseuds/rarepairqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which a friendship escalates thanks to sushi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A fish out of water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FelicitousVixen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelicitousVixen/gifts).



> So even in my hectic day life (including Pokemon go being released and making me walk 8km in one day #ripmylegs) I wrote most of this in one sitting.
> 
> Done for the request:  
> Maybe Furiaka + their respective schools
> 
> In which Akashi dislikes disobedient dogs because he can't tell them to stop chasing him. (Nigou didn't count because he was restrained by Hyuuga)
> 
> (There was something about seaweed too) - Hope you enjoy~

 

 

Furihata rested his chin on his hand as he tapped the desk, waiting for the skype message to pop up declaring he could call the other person. The spring breeze blew through the open window, bringing the sound of birds and the warm sunshine into the room with it. He hummed absent-mindedly as his phone lit up with notifications from the group chat that Seirin had going, most of the time Izuki would spam puns and Koganei would encourage him until Hyuuga demanded they stopped. Right now he didn't care to find out what was causing the flashing light on his phone, he tried not to stare at the computer screen either willing for the skype notification to pop up sooner rather than later.

He was startled by the sudden ring tone as an incoming call flashed up on his screen, he quickly made sure he looked presentable before answering with a somewhat nervous smile.

"Hey Akashi." He greeted as the red-head's webcam flickered into life.

"Hello Furihata." Akashi replied with a smile. "How are things?"

Furihata could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he smiled back, he could see Akashi's absurdly neat dorm room behind him; the familiar Rakuzan jersey hanging up on the closet door, the neatly arranged bookcase and elegant photo frames adorning the top shelf. He felt subconscious about his slightly cluttered room but wasn't really given much time to think about it as he started telling the other about the latest Seirin shenanigans.

"So then Kiyoshi told Koganei that dressing Nigou up as batman wasn't a good use of club time and Mitobe made some kind of gesture that made Koganei laugh, it was all fine until Kagami walked over and Nigou jumped on him causing him to fall backwards into Kuroko and knock him to the floor--"

Akashi laughed softly, not just at the mental image but at Furihata's excited story-telling. The brunet's freckled face lighting up as he went onto explain in great detail that threats his captain made regarding dressing up the club mascot and the phrase "No capes!" being banded around as Kawahara chased Nigou in an vain attempt to catch the puppy.  
   
The months after the winter cup had been kind to their friendship, most of it had been spent over skype and texting but they had occasionally made the journey to meet each other on odd weekends when they were both free. It wasn't uncommon for them to skype when their friends were around either, Furihata had met Rakuzan after all and talking to them in a more relaxed setting was actually rather nice. He didn't know if Akashi felt the same regarding Seirin but that wasn't important in that moment as he came to the end of his story.

"So then Nigou pounced back on Kagami and everyone realised that Kagami was basically pinning Kuroko against the floor and his face was so red, it was hilarious! Izuki made a comment about his face matching his hair before Hyuuga cleared his throat loudly and reminded them about the 'no pda during practice' rule we have--"

"You have a no pda rule?" Akashi asked, amused at the fact Seirin was so open with each other that such a rule had to exist.

"Yeah!" Furihata laughed nervously. "Well it came about when Kuroko and Kagami started dating and Kagami kept playfully slapping Kuroko's butt between practice drills, oh and how Izuki would blow kisses to captain and make him go all flustered. So Riko declared that there was to be no pda during practice."

"And what about in the locker rooms? Any shenanigans of sorts in there?" Akashi raised an eyebrow, watching as Furihata's cheeks reddened.

"Sei! No--I mean I don't think anything--oh god I don't wanna think about that!"

Akashi laughed as Furihata hid behind his hands. He smiled as he waited for the other to regain his composure before cracking up in soft laughter again at how flushed the older boy's face was. The conversation moved on to other topics like their studies, any spring break plans they had, the matter of starting their second year and the graduation of their third year friends.

"Wasn't Kiyoshi meant to be going to America to get his knee seen to?" Akashi asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Hm? Oh he did just after the winter cup but came back in February. Apparently the specialist offered to fly to Tokyo for a year's work so she can do the treatment over here for him. He'll still have to go for check-ups at the hospital and be forbidden to play for a year or two but at least he'll be able to come to watch us play." Furihata explained, he remembered the day that Kiyoshi had shown up unexpectedly and told them all the great news, they all went out to dinner to celebrate and the team felt like a family once again. Out of all his seniors he definitely felt like Kiyoshi was the unspoken glue that held them all together, he wouldn't forget the statement he made during that match against Hanamiya and hoped that he'd be able to leave his mark on the team just like that.

"So you expecting many new recruits this year?" Akashi hummed. "Rakuzan always has new members applying but rarely do any of them make the grade. Although we have to replace Mayuzumi at some point before inter-high..."

Furihata nodded. "I mean, we're currently the winter cup champions so..." He smiled as Akashi chuckled, they playfully teased one another whenever they spoke about their teams, it reminded then both that whilst they were indeed friends, they were also still rivals. "I mean I expect we'll get a few."

"Well I hope we get to play again, I feel like I treated you rather unfairly for your talent."

The Seirin point guard laughed nervously again, he wasn't quite used to Akashi complimenting his seldom seen talent but he didn't actively tell him to stop. He was far too used to people talking on and on about how talented the miracles were and how Seirin as a team were great but people hardly seemed to take note of his skills.

Any response Furihata had was cut off by a loud knocking at Akashi's door, the red-head didn't even get a chance to reply before the undeniable sound of chaos came through. A familiar blond crowded the captain's webcam and shot Furihata a grin as Nebuya's hearty laugh accompanied Reo's 'mom sigh'.

"Sorry Sei-chan, I tried to keep them from bursting in in case you were--oh hey Furi-chan!"

Furihata waved, he couldn't help but giggle at Akashi's somewhat annoyed expression at Hayama squishing himself onto the chair so he could see and talk to Furihata.

"It's okay Reo-nee." Akashi sighed. "At least I got some warning."

"Lighten up Sei." Hayama nudged him in the ribs. "So chihuahua, how are things with casper and the tiger?"

Furihata somewhat hated the nickname that he had been given but he shrugged it off. "Kuroko and Kagami are fine, although Kagami's ego is nearly as big as Aomine's at this point after winning the winter cup."

Hayama laughed. "Watch out Sei, you're gonna have to keep an eye on them."

"I gathered." Akashi dead-panned, glancing over his shoulder at Nebuya as if to say 'please keep your boyfriend under control'. "Why are you all here anyway?"

"We were bored after practice--which you didn't show up for." Hayama raised an eyebrow.

Akashi snorted. "I saw no reason to go."

Furihata cleared his throat. "Sei, aren't you the one who told me to always keep pushing myself? That there's always room for improvement?"

Nebuya laughed as Akashi's cheeks reddened. Hayama wrapped an arm around the captain's shoulders and ruffled his hair as Reo rolled his eyes.

"I-well I guess I did say that." He uttered. "In any case, what are you doing this weekend Furihata?"

The question came out of the blue for the Seirin player, they hadn't met up for a few weeks so it wasn't completely unprecedented however Akashi didn't make it a habit to ask him about it in front of either of their team mates.

"N-Nothing? I think we might have morning practice on Saturday but as it's so close to graduation we're just taking it easy." Furihata replied quietly.

"Road trip to Tokyo!" Hayama beamed. "Reo-nee can we go to that skatepark again?"

Akashi ignored his upperclassman's excited yelling, lightly shoving him off his chair so he could try and take back some of the control he had lost. _I'll talk to you later once I've gotten these morons out of my room yeah?_ He typed into the chat box. Furihata smiled and nodded, already feeling the butterflies in his tummy over seeing the red-head again.

The few times they had met up since the winter cup were somewhat rushed, either managing to grab a hot drink in a quiet coffee shop or wander around the busy shopping districts. It had started as part of Akashi's 'recovery' from regaining his old self, Kuroko had asked if Furihata would be able to help him ease Akashi back into being a sociable person. They had hung out with Kise, Momoi and Aomine a few times but it quickly became clear that when it was just him and Akashi, the captain would relax a lot more and the more sensitive side came out.

The Rakuzan team didn't show any sign of leaving soon, Reo had since gracefully tugged Hayama away from the screen and was now interrogating Furihata on the latest gossip from the Tokyo teams, out of all of Akashi's team mates Reo was the one who made Furihata seem the least on edge. Although there was always this slight nagging feeling that he was being scrutinised to hell and back.

After a while, Akashi declared he wanted to take a shower, prompting the others to bid farewell to Furihata and file out of his room. With a sigh, the captain sat down again and ran his hands through his hair. The brunet couldn't help but giggle.

"It's weird to think you're the youngest."

"Tell me about it." Akashi grumbled half-heartedly before flashing a tired smile at the webcam. Furihata's chest tightened slightly. "Anyway, so do you have any objections to us visiting this weekend?"

"No, none at all. I'll have to inform Hyuuga probably as I'll want to leave pretty much straight after practice but I don't think it'll be a problem."

"Good to hear. Um, I guess I'll call you on Saturday when we get to Tokyo."

There was a slight pause as the captain looked a little lost, the one thing they struggled with was ending these calls. Furihata was too nervous to take control and likewise Akashi was too polite to end it suddenly. As a result, a lot of twenty minute conversations had stretched into nearly hour long calls until one or the other was forced to end the call by outside influences - usually Furihata's brother barging into his room.

Eventually Akashi declared he should really take his shower and call his father, Furihata agreed, citing that he needed to call Hyuuga and tell him about  his after practice commitments. With another smile, the captain said goodbye and gave a small wave, the brunet mirroring his actions as the call went dead.

Within a few moments of silence falling, Furihata picked up his phone and relayed the plans to his own captain in the Seirin group chat. Izuki immediately asked how things were going with Akashi, Koganei and Kiyoshi having seen the message too and simply waiting for Furihata to explain everything.

_So they're coming to watch practice?_

_No! They're gonna meet me after practice._

_Psh, we're not letting you go alone._

Furihata rolled his eyes, silently wishing Kuroko would intervene and assure their senpais that Rakuzan were just like any other team. It wasn't like he was going to get jumped and robbed by them.

_You wanna come with me to meet Rakuzan?_

_Great idea! I'd love to see my old team mates :)_

_Really? Is that what you're focusing on Teppei? Not that our kouhai is fraternising with the enemy?_

_Izuki-senpai I'm not fraternising, I'm just meeting Akashi-kun again._

_◕‿◕_

_You're right Rin-chan, I think Furi has been spending a lot of time talking about Akashi~._

_♥‿♥_

_Rin-chan wants to know if you have a crush on your rival Furi~_

Furihata was already blushing, he didn't really appreciate his seniors assuming he had a crush on the other point guard. With a sigh he set his phone down and tried to focus on the little bit of homework he still had to complete before class the next day. In the back of his mind he started thinking about what would happen if he _was_ dating Akashi.

His phone buzzing beside him with an incoming call snapped him from those thoughts.

"So, what's all this crap I've been hearing from Izuki about you and Akashi dating?" Hyuuga sounded tired but amused.

"Eh?! N-No senpai we're not dating! Oh gosh I just mentioned to Izuki-senpai about Rakuzan visiting Tokyo and how I was going to see Akashi again--"

A chuckle made him pause. "It's okay, I gathered that was what happened. I read the chat too, you know how carried away they can get."

He sighed in relief. "Yeah...I wish they wouldn't...I feel like a such a foolish first year sometimes."

Hyuuga hummed. "Well they'll be third years soon, they'll probably mature a little bit. Either way, back to my point; you're seeing Akashi again?"

Furihata smiled, he hadn't told his entire team about why he was seeing Akashi, Kuroko obviously knew and Kagami had a vague idea after been dragged along once or twice. He had told Fukuda and Kawahara as they were his best friends but the only other person to be properly clued in was Hyuuga, he had gone to his captain after the first meeting and asked if there was anything about him not being allowed to see Akashi as he was their rival. The Seirin captain thought he was joking at first until he saw the genuine worry in his eyes. He had promised not to tell the others about it all, deeming it unnecessary gossip and purely Furihata's business, he hoped he was setting a good example to the kouhai he was intending to leave the captaincy with when he left the following spring.

"Yeah. He just asked me earlier, dunno what we're gonna do but he's bringing Rakuzan with him so I'm a little nervous."

"Huh, well if you want the team to be there then I can get Riko to cut practice short--"

"No it's fine! I've met them all before over skype, I just think they're trying to get us together like Izuki-senpai and Koga-senpai are implying..."

Hyuuga inhaled, making Furihata feel a little stupid for voicing his feelings. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, and I sure as hell won't tell anyone what you say, but do _you_ feel that you and him could end up...becoming closer? Forget all the playful teasing and jokes, forget the rivalry and forget the fact you're in two different cities, do you feel that it's a possibility?"

The point guard didn't have to think long, he hadn't really wanted to think about how the nerves in his body weren't down to general anxiety anymore, that they only flared up when he spoke to Akashi but at the same time he felt comfortable around the other. It was confusing to say the least.

"I guess? Anything's possibly senpai." He murmured, moving to his bed and flopping back on the sheets with a sigh. "But Kuroko told me to take care with Akashi as it's been so long since his 'old self' was around..."

"Well I won't pry anymore. You know where I am if you need someone to talk to."

Furihata smiled at his ceiling. "Thanks senpai, that means a lot."

 

* * *

 

Saturday morning practice was usually less strict than the daily sessions, Riko would often let the team decide what they wanted to practice on, it frequently became a habit for everyone to split up into pairs or small groups of four to practice individual skills. As a result, Furihata had been under Izuki's tuition for the past few weeks regarding stepping up his training as a point guard. Another common habit was for Nigou to be running around the court with them, the puppy's training had slowly ground to a halt around the winter cup and seemed to only ever respond to Kuroko no matter how many times the others would call his name. The first few times he had run out onto the court during a practice match, Kagami had nearly had a heart attack and Mitobe had to rescue the puppy from being stood on.

There was however, a bright side to it. Kiyoshi - having returned and been put on a strict 'coaching only' position - had figured that having a hyperactive puppy running around would help refine everyone's awareness during matches. If they were forever making sure they didn't step on Nigou then over time their peripheral vision and general awareness would get better. Of course no-one would ever be on Izuki's level but it would hopefully pay off next time they played Kaijo or Touou.

That Saturday however, the puppy was curled up asleep in Kiyoshi's lap during their morning drills and warm up exercises. Furihata was under no doubt that Izuki would commandeer him for point guard practice, he secretly wanted to avoid his senpai given the fact it was _the_ Saturday he was meeting Akashi after practice.

"Okay, split up and work on your individual exercises. We'll have a practice match in an hour." Riko declared. "First years versus second years."

There were no complaints, as a team that were now 'Winter Cup Champions', they were all too happy to train in order to defend that title. The first years who hadn't seen much action during the tournament were anxious to prove themselves and be ready to fend off any new first years that may try to overshadow them in the new year. Furihata felt happy to know that even if there were talented first years, someone would have to take over from Izuki in the coveted point guard position and as he was one of the only ones to face Akashi and survive, he was in a fairly strong position.

"C'mon Furi, let's work on those passes hm?" Izuki smiled, beckoning Tsuchida over to assist. "Remember what I said last time? You're the control tower of your team, you have to read the situation quickly, accurately--"

"And then deploy the right strategy." Furihata finished, receiving the ball and waiting for Izuki to take up his defensive position. "But there's so much to memorise for the team, let alone all of Kagami and Kuroko's weird combinations..."

"Yeah there is a lot, but you'll only get better by practice. Kiyoshi gave you all those notes on the different formations right?" Izuki sighed, signalling for Tsuchida to get ready as Furihata bounced the ball twice.

"I got them. I don't learn by reading though senpai, I learn by doing."

"Then let's do it." Izuki challenged.

Furihata had to admit, he couldn't say his senpais didn't try their best to help him and the others improve. Little by little he was getting the hang of it, his major woe was having to yell out orders but that would come when they were in an actual game. For the time being, just practising reading his opponent and not being easily intimidated were the main priorities. As Riko had told him; the likes of Kaijo and Touou may have new point guards but Shuutoku and Rakuzan still had their very skilled point guards. He somewhat dreaded going up against Takao, he knew it would happen at some point as Riko tried to get him to sync with the team in a more stressful environment but just going against Izuki was enough to make him tremble slightly. He hadn't even thought about going up against Akashi competitively again.

As the whistle blew signalling a water break before the match, Furihata glanced up from retying his shoe laces only to find a hand ruffling his hair.

"Looks like you got a visitor." Hyuuga hummed.

Furihata's gaze flicked over to the bench where Kiyoshi was talking to a familiar face. He felt a lump in his throat as he took in the sight of the four Rakuzan players. They were early, _very_ early.

He had no choice but to approach, the water bottles weren't going to float over to him after all. He tried to appear at ease, glancing at Fukuda as if to say 'please help me' before the excitable greeting met his ears.

"Yo Chihuahua!" Hayama grinned, being held back by his jacket by Nebuya. Kiyoshi and Reo shared a chuckle as Furihata waved back, his gaze quickly shifting to Akashi talking with Kuroko.

Riko cleared her throat and got everyone's attention. "So, ignoring the fact a certain team showed up out of the blue--" she glared half-heartedly at Akashi. "--we'll now have the practice match. Do I really need to tell you all who the captains are?"

Furihata felt his cheeks burning as Kagami ruffled his hair. "We got it coach."

"Great. Five minutes prep time and then we'll do the tip off."

Kuroko smiled at Furihata as the first year captain sighed. He could feel their rival's staring at him. He hadn't told Akashi how he was most tipped to be the next captain of Seirin but he had a feeling it wouldn't take the other long to work it out, especially if Kiyoshi gave a running commentary.

"So, plan?" Fukuda asked him as they had a team huddle.

"Our advantage clearly is Kagami and Kuroko, however I know they'll look for any weak points in our defence and passing." He replied. It sometimes impressed him how easily he seemed to slip into the captaincy role, whether it was just because he had little choice or whether he was naturally inclined to be a leader, he didn't know.

"What's our plan of attack though?" Kawahara asked. "Mitobe is incredible at defence."

"Kagami is slightly taller, so if it's possible, he'll dunk. Otherwise, you and I will have to shoot."

"And me?" Kuroko asked quietly.

"Do what you do best." Furihata smiled. "Everyone good?"

The other first years smiled and nodded. Their opponents had already finished their huddle and were waiting for them. Furihata nominated Kagami to get in for the tip off and found Izuki, the second year smiled at him and wished him luck before slipping into his more competitive persona.

The match was a learning curve, he tried to forget who was watching them, he tried to focus on what Izuki had taught him and recognising how they were attacking. In a way they were always destined to lose, but it was because they had been in that exact same situation before at the final match in the winter that fuelled his optimism. As Izuki received the ball and made to pass ahead to Koga, Furihata called for a switch in the defence, surprising himself at the sudden willingness to call out to his team. Kuroko intercepted the pass and Kawahara went on to score his first basket in the match.

"Nice one captain." Fukuda congratulated as they revelled in their short term success.

There were a few more short-lived moments of euphoria as some of his calls developed into points and penalties against the second years. Of course he was no match for Izuki and the second years did win the match, but there had been progress and that was what mattered.

As the rest of the team hit the showers, Hyuuga beckoned Furihata to stick around, congratulating him on a job well done and asking what he took away from the match. Nigou had woken up in the commotion and was now very interested in their visitors. Hayama was running around with the puppy yapping excitedly, making Reo and Nebuya laugh. the problem came when Nigou set his sights on the captain and started scampering around his ankles.

Furihata's attention was dragged away from Hyuuga's pep talk by Akashi's unnaturally shaken voice.

"R-Reo...can you get i-it away please."

"Hm? Sei-chan it's a puppy. Don't tell me you're scared of a puppy."

Hyuuga stopped talking to see just what was going on. Akashi was staring at the husky puppy with a look of unease. It wasn't the same fear that Kagami had but it was something that showed he wasn't exactly happy as Nigou barked happily and pawed at his pant leg.

"Nigou, heel." Hyuuga commanded in vain. The puppy only listened to Kuroko and he was in the shower.

Furihata wanted to laugh at Akashi's bewildered expression. He made his way over and scooped up the puppy - who then decided to imitate a fish out of water - in his arms. "Sorry Sei, he's not exactly well trained." He apologised, bowing a little out of habit as Akashi's cheeks reddened and Hayama snickered.

"Akashi doesn't like disobedient dogs." He helpfully provided before Reo shoved him into Nebuya and smiled at Furihata.

"What he means is that he's not used to--"

"I can speak for myself." Akashi stated coolly. "I've never really had to deal with dogs."

Furihata ruffled Nigou's fur. "He's not that bad. He just needs someone to train him properly, I'm sure Kuroko will do that over spring break."

Akashi glanced at Nigou and then at Furihata. "Well...it's no problem really. I just struggle to...control them."

"Oi Furi, if you don't hurry up all the hot water will be gone!" Koganei shouted from the door to the showers.

"Can you hold Nigou until Kuroko comes back?" Furihata asked Akashi, offering the squirming puppy to the captain.

"S-Sure." Akashi replied without thought, watching as Furihata jogged over to the doors and disappeared.

It occurred to him a few seconds too late that he now had his former team mate's puppy in his hands and had no way of controlling it. Nigou barked, startling him slightly, before licking his chin. He grimaced and briefly remembered a certain incident regarding Midorima threatening to shoot the same puppy through a basketball hoop.

"Aw, he's so cute though." Reo cooed at the puppy.

"Don't encourage him. He's probably got an ego like Aomine."

"Like someone else we know..." Nebuya hummed, making Hayama laugh.

"Anyway, now you're here, can we leave you to your little date with the chihuahua?" Hayama asked, raising an eyebrow at Akashi.

"You're the ones who invited yourselves." Akashi uttered. "But fine, go."

Reo let the other two get ahead of him before smiling at Akashi. "You didn't deny it was a date Sei-chan." He hummed, leaving Akashi to deal with a rebellious puppy and the thought that _no he hadn't denied it was a date_.

As he came to the realisation that his team were very much implying he had a thing for the brunet, Nigou barked again and squirmed in his hold. He panicked and nearly dropped the ball of fur, opting instead to set him on the floor. In hindsight he would realise that was a bad idea. Nigou - much like his owner - easily picked up on characteristics of new people he met. The puppy scampered around the polished floor for a few moments before coming back to Akashi and standing on the teen's feet. Not sure what to do, Akashi stared at him.

"Well aren't you a character..." He sighed. "I can see why Midorima wanted to shoot you through a hoop...and why Momoi loves you so much."

Nigou tilted his head to the side.

"You are rather adorable. Troublesome, but adorable."

Nigou barked again and took an interest in his shoe laces, Akashi could've sworn it was just cats who toyed with the ends of laces but, as a lot of things in his life had shown, nothing was ever black and white. Nigou tugged on his laces enough to untie the knot before scampering away again. With a loud sigh Akashi knelt down to retie them, only to get tackled by the puppy and ending up on his back.

"You really _are_ troublesome." He groaned, wondering why he was putting up with this treatment. He hadn't intended to leave Kyoto as early as he did, but he found himself awake and ready to go a full two hours before he needed to, his nerves - which he refused to acknowledge at the time - prompted him to leave early. The others were more than happy to leave early, it meant more time in Tokyo for them and less time on the train. The decision to walk to Seirin high school was one he made and hadn't intended the others to follow him, alas they _had_ followed him and now promptly abandoned him with a puppy.

"Oh Akashi-kun, thank you for looking after Nigou." Kuroko's voice interrupted his thought process. The dog had curled up on his chest as he resigned himself to the floor and now Kuroko was looking down at him with a small smile.

"No problem." He replied, wishing the puppy would move already.

The sound of a phone camera set him on edge. Kuroko's smile hadn't changed but Akashi just _knew_ that his old team mate had snuck a picture to send to the others at some point. He resisted the urge to demand he deleted it. There was no point.

"Furihata-kun will be out soon." Kuroko told him as Nigou got off Akashi's chest and the captain stood up.

"Okay."

"Hope you two have fun today."

If Akashi didn't know any better, he would've sworn Kuroko was purposefully setting them up at this point. The rest of Seirin came out over the course of twenty minutes, he tried not to appear too anxious as he waited for Furihata. Kiyoshi and Riko were the last ones around other than the brunet but Akashi really didn't feel like explaining all this to them as Hyuuga and Izuki left.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Sei." Furihata greeted hurriedly as he jogged out of the locker room.

"It's okay." He smiled. "I got to bond with your wonderful mascot."

Furihata giggled. "So, what do you feel like doing today?"

Akashi shrugged, he never really planned anything when he came to Tokyo, if they were in Kyoto then he would've picked out a restaurant for them to go to--

Now _he_ was the one treating it like a date.

"You must be hungry after practice, is there a place nearby to eat?"

"Maji burger, but I eat there way too often." Furihata laughed. "Um, there's a sushi place not too far?"

"Lead the way."

Furihata smiled, waving goodbye to Kiyoshi and Riko before leading Akashi out of the gym. The time they had spent together outside of matches and skype calls was limited to a few hours, but Akashi would go as far to as admit they were some of the most relaxing hours he had experienced since graduating junior high. There was no pressure to appear perfect around Furihata, he had already shown the brunet his skills in basketball but he wanted to let his older self shine through during these afternoons with the other point guard. He wanted to feel alive again, to laugh again, to be at ease with himself just one more time.

"So how are things at Rakuzan Sei?" Furihata asked, they were a few streets away from the school now and the hustle and bustle of the city was both welcoming and familiar.

"Still looking for Mayuzumi's replacement. We're not set on copying Tetsuya anymore but we still need a fifth player." He sighed, wanting to talk about anything but his team in that moment. He secretly loved them as siblings but they could get on his nerves very quickly. "What about you? I noticed you were captain of the first years today and that Hyuuga was giving you a pep talk afterwards."

The older boy blushed slightly, rosy cheeks making his freckles stand out more across his complexion, he played with the shoulder strap of his kit bag as he averted his gaze from the other.

"Heh...yeah I mean, I think they've got it into their heads that I'm the one to take over from captain." He replied.

"A good thing I assume? I mean I wouldn't trust Kagami with that responsibility to be honest."

"I-I mean they just keep saying that I'm the one who'll become the first choice point guard when Izuki leaves...I don't know if I'd be a good captain."

Akashi smiled slightly, Furihata's humbleness always made him wonder what it would've felt like to have had a 'normal' upbringing, where he was allowed to fail and then truly be grateful for what he achieved rather than just expecting it. Furihata glanced at him when he didn't reply and caught the red-head smiling at him. In a split second of panic, Akashi looked away and tried not to acknowledge the heat in his face as he cleared his throat.

"My advice is to go with your gut instinct." He replied, trying to remember all the encouraging words Reo had thrown at him over the last few months. "Give it a go whilst your senpais are still here and see if it suits you. I personally think you did very well today, I can see potential in your skills as long as you hone them and build up a trustworthy team."

Furihata smiled slightly. "You think?"

"I think so yeah." Akashi smiled back. "You've got what it takes I reckon."

They fell in step with each other, the conversation diverting to the sushi restaurant Furihata was taking Akashi to. The captain hadn't actually told the other that he wasn't fond of seaweed but there were other varieties of sushi, he wouldn't be expected to eat it surely. Furihata explained that he had been to the place before with his brother and a few times with Fukuda and Kawahara, that it wasn't exactly high-end but the food was good. Akashi sensed that he felt apprehensive about going there but didn't want to outright say it.

"Is it a busy place?" He asked as they rounded the corner and he saw the sigh outside with brightly coloured boards declaring the different dishes served there.

"It can be, but more after school during the week than on weekends." Furihata replied, gesturing him to follow as he stepped through the door.

The first thing to meet Akashi's eyes was the conveyor belt. He raised an eyebrow as he quickly figured that this was what his father would refer to as 'a commoner's restaurant'. He didn't pay much attention to how Furihata got them a table in the bustling store, he just felt a hand take his and tug him harshly to snap him out of his fascination at the touch screen menus.

They remained holding hands until they got to their booth.

"You've never been to one of these have you?" Furihata asked as they sat across from each other, he was trying not to giggle at how Akashi was glancing around the restaurant with a curious gaze.

"No...I usually dine in uh...you know, hotel restaurants and the like..." He replied, sounding unsure as he tried not to outwardly offend the establishment they were in.

 He was met with an endearing smile. "It's okay, I get it." Furihata replied. "I guess I'll have to show you the wonderful world of budget sushi."

"I'm at your mercy I guess." Akashi smiled, feeling a little giddy as Furihata laughed and shook his head.

"I'll take care of you Sei don't worry." He raised his hand to start selecting things on the touch screen. "So, what do you feel like eating?"

 

* * *

 

 

At first Akashi wasn't sure what to make of the small plates being picked off the belt by the other point guard, thankfully none of them had included seaweed so he happily ate everything that was handed to him. The atmosphere in the store was much more relaxed than most places he had been to eat, happy chatter between patrons filled the air so any silence that fell was hardly noticeable. Not that there really was a silence between them to notice.

He was no stranger to sushi, he had eaten it enough times but Furihata explained each dish to him anyway. He didn't object, there were some differences to the Kyoto restaurants he had been to but not enough to really throw him. He listened intently as the brunet told him about the last time he was there with his team mates and how they had eaten fifty plates between three of them.

"So Kagami wasn't one of those people?" Akashi remarked as he raised the shrimp to his lips.

"No actually, I've not been here with anyone else on the team other than Fukuda and Kawahara." Furihata replied, taking a sip of his green tea. "We're kind of keeping it as our thing y'know?"

Akashi nodded eyeing the menu as he chewed and swallowed. "That's good, keeping little traditions like that will pay off when you're captain."

Furihata's cheeks flared. "You really think I'm good enough to be captain huh."

"Well yeah." He shrugged.

Furihata hummed as he started pressing more buttons to order a few more plates. His thoughtful but calm expression made Akashi's heart melt a little, the captain was starting to realise that his feelings for the brunet were getting harder and harder to ignore; the doe eyes that stood out when they lit up with excitement and joy, the lips that he could see had been bitten in worry and nervousness but still looked soft and he briefly wondered how they'd feel against his.

"Sei?"

Akashi startled slightly as he realised he had been staring. "Um, yes. Sorry I was distracted momentarily." He apologised quickly.

Furihata's cheeks were still a little red as he set the two plates in front of Akashi. The red-head swallowed as he took note of what he had been presented with.

"These are actually my favourite dishes from this menu." Furihata hummed again. "You ever tried them?"

Akashi glanced up as he debated telling the other that the two varieties of sushi roll both contained his least favourite food. He knew Furihata wouldn't mind, he knew it would be okay to decline and explain but at the same time he didn't want to disappoint the other.

"Crab...and shrimp?" Akashi clarified, pointing at each of the rolls.

"Yeah. I mean, they don't serve my favourite food here but these are pretty good." Furihata gave a sheepish smile. "Try them."

Akashi smiled, adjusting his chopsticks before delicately picking up one of the rolls. He could already tell he wasn't going to enjoy this experience. He did his best not to grimace as he chewed, he figured that Furihata could probably tell he wasn't liking this in the slightest.

Furihata tried not to giggle at Akashi's concentrated expression, taking the initiative and reclaiming one of the plates as the other finished swallowing.

"Kouki I have something to confess." Akashi stated after washing away the taste with some green tea.

The brunet's eyes widened, mentally screaming that this would be how he died of embarrassment. "G-Go on."

"I don't like seaweed."

There was a pause. Akashi's cheeks flared as Furihata opened his mouth to speak and closed it again, only to open it again and start giggling.

"I wondered why you looked so serious over it." He remarked. "I've only ever seen Kagami look so concerned over food before."

Akashi allowed himself to laugh at the situation. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just wanted to embrace your favourite restaurant and--"

Furihata nodded, resting his hand on top of Akashi's without thinking. "It's okay Sei, I understand. I'm actually kinda glad you gave it a go regardless."

The captain's gaze fell on the hand resting on top of his, soft but callused fingers against the back of his hand. "Yeah, aside from the seaweed it was great." He sighed.

"I mean, I appreciate that you wanted to just let me pick all the food but I would've been fine not ordering any rolls."

"I suppose you'll have to eat them instead."

Furihata took his hand back and picked up his chopsticks. He was about to set about eating from the plate in front of him when he was presented with the other roll from Akashi's plate. In his mind, he knew he should tell Akashi to put it on his plate but it became quite obvious that Akashi had other intentions.

"S-Sei?" He murmured, the redness in his cheeks returning as Akashi smiled endearingly.

"Well I'm not going to eat it."

Slowly Furihata leaned forward and let the other feed him. For a moment, they just regarded each other with nervous smiles and blushing cheeks. The brunet didn't allow himself to say anything after he swallowed, quickly picking at the two remaining rolls on his plate as Akashi watched him silently. The simple shift in the mood had left them both too nervous to say anything.

"Let me pick dessert, as you've let me sample all the sushi." Akashi declared, glancing at the touch screen. "Does crepe sound good to you?"

Furihata nodded, cheeks still slightly stuffed as Akashi chuckled to himself and ordered the sweet treat. The brunet was still trying to make sense of everything that had happened, somewhere between entering the restaurant and that moment, they had crossed the line of just being friends. He wasn't sure how he knew it, he just did. Catching Akashi staring endearingly at him was the first tip off, he had tested the waters by placing his hand on top of Akashi's just to see the reaction - admittedly he hadn't _quite_ planned it that way - and now the seaweed confession leading to Akashi literally feeding him.

It had left him a little flustered. He couldn't deny his feelings, the fact that everyone seemed to think they were already dating made it a little easier to deal with, if they could see the chemistry between the two of them then surely that meant something.

"Are you okay Kouki?" Akashi asked. Furihata startled from his thoughts at his first name being used. "You zoned out for a moment."

The dessert had arrived and Akashi had set the plate between them, the entire situation was reading straight out of a shoujo manga. He smiled as the captain nodded, deciding that he could over think everything later when Akashi was on his way home. They split the small dessert between them, keeping light conversation, Furihata couldn't help but keep glancing up into the deep red eyes that seemed to watch his every move.

It was no surprise to him when Akashi declared he'd pay for the meal, even if it was budget sushi the Rakuzan captain saw it as the least he could do. The afternoon was slowly wearing on and Akashi wouldn't be getting the train back to Kyoto for another hour at least, plus Rakuzan were god knows where in that moment.

"So what now?" Akashi asked, still absurdly polite as always and it made Furihata giggle nervously as he thought about where to take him.

"There's a park nearby? We could just...sit?"

"I'd like that a lot."

Furihata beckoned him to walk down the busy street, making more light conversation as Akashi stayed silent on the most part. A few times, their hands brushed and made the brunet stumble over his words, blushing madly and making Akashi shyly smile. They ended up sat on a bench, the sun warming the wooden planks and somewhat easing his nerves.

He was just coming to terms with the fact that he really did like Akashi in the way his senpais accused him of, when the other spoke.

"Kouki, would you say we're friends?"

The question came out of left field and Furihata was sure he could sense his soul leaving his body to escape this situation. "I-I guess? I mean of course I would!"

Akashi's composure didn't seem rattled. "I'm glad, although I have another confession to make."

"Confession..."

The captain shifted on the bench so he was facing Furihata, his cheeks tinted pink as he ran a hand through his hair and wetted his lips. "Kouki I--"

An excitable cheer cut Akashi off, the captain sighed heavily as he glanced towards the culprit. Hayama was grinning as he waved, Reo was trying to quieten him down and tell him to leave their captain alone but the second year wasn't listening.

"Sei, what did you want to say?" Furihata asked.

"N-Nothing, it's okay." Akashi quickly replied, glancing back at Furihata with redder cheeks.

For someone who used to hide their emotions well, Akashi was doing anything but that as Furihata took note of his flustered expression and how he kept wiping his hands on his pant legs.

"Sei...tell me?" He asked quietly, taking the other's hand in a burst of courage. Akashi froze, eyes widening slightly as he allowed their fingers to link together. "Please?"

Footsteps coming towards them fell on deaf ears as Akashi's resolve snapped. He closed the gap between them in a short, breathless kiss that was over before Furihata had time to comprehend what had just happened. Hayama was quickly yanked away by Nebuya and Reo was caught between apologising for interrupting and squealing in delight.

Akashi's anxious eyes regarded Furihata's stunned ones.

"S-Sorry, I didn't...that was impulsive of me and I didn't intend to--" Akashi whispered, getting cut off by Furihata's shaky hand cupping his face.

"Don't w-worry Sei." He breathed. "I just wasn't expecting it."

A sigh of relief left the red-head. "C-Can I try again?"

"What? The confession or the kiss?"

Akashi raised an eyebrow. "Both."

Furihata's heart was thundering in his chest as Akashi tilted his head slightly, bringing their lips together slowly and gently. Mindful that they were not only in a public park but also that the Rakuzan players were still watching, Akashi pulled away before they got carried away. Squeezing Furihata's hand, he blushed heavily and picked up where he had left off, more confident but still nervous all the same.

"Kouki, I've realised in the few months we've known each other that I need you to be more than a friend. You're the one who makes me smile, makes me laugh and honestly I've not had sushi as good as the sushi you picked out for me." He murmured softly, loving the way Furihata smiled both shyly and nervously. "You make me feel alive Kouki, like there is hope for me to have a normal life after all this miracle nonsense..."

Furihata wasn't sure what to say, he just nodded, squeezing Akashi's hand in the hope that the other would understand that he felt the same way.

"So what I'm trying to say, in as many words, is will you do me the honour and be my boyfriend?"

The brunet let go of Akashi's hand and threw his arms around him, burying his face in the crook of Akashi's neck as he babbled out the word 'yes' repeatedly. Akashi hugged him tightly, cherishing the feeling of being loved as Furihata showed no sign of moving. It was anything but graceful but Akashi found himself laughing breathlessly.

"Was that so hard?" Reo remarked under his breath, Nebuya chuckled as his team mate's statement. It had been no secret to them that Akashi was smitten over Furihata and they had been trying to get him to do something about it for weeks now.

"Should we leave you two...alone some more?" Hayama asked as Akashi pulled away and glanced up at his team mates.

The captain looked for Furihata's input. "What do you think?"

"I-I should probably tell...Seirin have been very vocal about their support for us being a thing."

Akashi smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. "Be my guest."

 

* * *

 

 

Telling Seirin via the group chat was simultaneously the best and worst idea. Furihata rested his head on Akashi's shoulder as they read through the barrage of messages being spat at them in block capital letters.

"Why is your team so...erratic?" Akashi hummed.

"Well when you're exposed to Kagami and Kuroko for this long, you start to get used to the erratic behaviour."

"They seem happy at least."

_Congratulations Furi :) I guess I'll be seeing more of my old team mates._

_I'm happy for both you and Akashi-kun - K_

_Wait, he's dating the guy who tried to stab me?!_

_Kagami-kun, calm down._

_I MEAN HE'S DATING HIS RIVAL?_

_Izuki-senpai please calm down._

_Will you all quit being assholes about this. Be happy for Furihata or keep your yap shut._

_Thanks coach!_

"I'm legitimately terrified of your coach sometimes." Akashi murmured, nuzzling Furihata's neck. The hustle and bustle of the train station meant they could be a little more intimate without being obvious. The trio that had accompanied the captain were off finding some last minute food before they got their train back to Kyoto, leaving the two new love-birds alone.

"She's a little scary yeah, but she reminds me of my mother sometimes; tough love when it's needed y'know?"

"I have an idea." Akashi replied, checking his phone and finding a text from Kuroko congratulating him in more detail before stating that the other miracles would be all over this news when they heard it. "I'd love to meet your mother someday Kouki."

Furihata smiled. "You can stay at my house for a few days over spring vacation if you want?"

The idea of staying in the loving home of his boyfriend made Akashi feel a little giddy. "I'd love that."

There was a pause, Furihata turned his head to gently press his lips to Akashi's, feeling the other's arm wrap around his waist as they sat on a bench near one of the many platforms. The matter of the distance between their schools was one they didn't really think about until that moment.

"In the grand scheme of things, Kyoto isn't that far away." Akashi hummed as their fingers linked together. "Although I don't know how my father will take this news..."

"Oh yeah...I guess he'd not approve huh."

"Well I'll cross that bridge when it's appropriate to."

An announcement that the train bound for Kyoto would be arriving shortly rang out over the PA. Akashi sighed slightly, kissing Furihata's cheek before slowly pulling away. Sure enough, a few moments later Nebuya's hearty laugh accompanied Hayama's loud giggling and the Rakuzan team were ready to head down to get their train. Furihata was hugged by the trio before Akashi pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing more kisses to his cheek and lips.

"I'll see you in a few weeks then." He stated. "Maybe you should come to Kyoto sometime."

"Yeah, maybe I should." Furihata smiled, trying not to cry at the fact it would be weeks before they were together like this again.

There was a sadness in Akashi's eyes but also happiness. Tenderly, he cupped Furihata's face and brought their lips together in another slow gesture, keeping it chaste but to them it meant more than a physical intimacy. He hugged Furihata again, bringing his lip to the other's ear.

"I love you Kouki." He breathed, pulling away abruptly as the second announcement went out for the train. He forced a smile as he slowly backed away and let go of Furihata's hand.

Furihata smiled even though he was hurting slightly inside, the joy of having his first kiss and first love happen all in the same day helped ease the pain. It would only be a few weeks and he wasn't a million miles away either, plus there was always skype to help bridge the gap.

"See you around Furi-chan~" Reo called as he herded his team mates towards the platform.

"Bye guys, safe travels!" He called back, waving as Akashi smiled back.

When they were gone, he checked the group chat to find things had returned to normal, Izuki was making puns, Mitobe was replying with emoticons that no-one other than Koga could translate, Kuroko was throwing shade at his own boyfriend and Kiyoshi kept making dad jokes until Hyuuga threatened to break his other knee.

Seirin may have been erratic, but they were his team. A team he would eventually be captain of. He wondered if Akashi felt the same way about Rakuzan, that they were his second family. He then wondered if Akashi would think of Furihata's family as part of his own one day.

A text derailed his thought process.

_Two weeks from now, Friday evening train to Kyoto, you're going to be on it (paid for by Reo-nee). I want you to spend the weekend with me Kouki. x_

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. They could make this work.

_Gladly :D I can't wait Sei x_

 


End file.
